Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 12 teaspoons baking powder
  • 34 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 12 teaspoon baking soda
  • 14 teaspoon salt
  • 34 cup butter, softened
  • 12 cup sugar
  • 12 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 12 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • broken walnuts, toasted
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 12 cup water
  • 13 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350; grease twenty-four 2 1/2 inch muffin cups; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on med-high speed for 30 seconds.
  • Add sugars, beating until combined.
  • Beat in eggs, pumpkin butter, and vanilla until combined.
  • Stir vinegar into evaporated milk (mixture will look curdled).
  • Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts.
  • Spoon batter into the prepared cups, filling about 3/4 full.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.
  • Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from pans; if desired, cool cakes completely on racks.
  • Caramel Sauce-in a medium heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch.
  • Stir in half-and-half, water, and corn syrup.
  • Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly (mixture might look curdled).
  • Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
  • Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
  • To serve-place each warm or cooled cake on a dessert plate; top with broken walnuts.
  • Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons caramel sauce over each cake.